Poll Results: Slingshot's Best New Artist Of 2018

This was a busy year for NPR's Slingshot artists — 40 exceptional, emerging talents from around the world, hand-picked by public radio stations. They dropped albums, signed record label deals and spent innumerable hours working in studios and on stages. Despite the inevitable changes that come with moving from open mics to stadium tours, one element of their success remained constant: you.

Which is why we created our first ever reader poll, so you could tell us who deserved to be Slingshot's Best New Artist of 2018. Read on to see who finished in the poll's Top 10, what they had to say about 2018 drawing to a close, and the year ahead.

"Putting out my debut album in 2018 has been a true catharsis in two ways: relieving freedom of personal struggles through completion of reflective work, and a joy in gaining fans who sing along with me through their own personal lenses at my shows. I am beyond grateful and excited for the years to come."